Next Opponent

By J Hutcherson (Nov 6, 2018) US Soccer Players -It's hard to get worked up about the latest potential for the elite European clubs breaking away and forming their own super league. The super league story has been dragging along for so many years now it borders on cliche. There could be a super league. It might even make more sense for there to be a super league. There probably won't be, at least . . .

By J Hutcherson (Oct 30, 2018) US Soccer Players - Julen Lopetegui out as Real Madrid coach after ten games is now the super club story. Following their 5-1 loss at Barcelona on Sunday, Real Madrid is 9th in La Liga and in 1st-place in Champions League Group G on a tiebreaker. That mixes the results, but La Liga struggles and a demoralizing loss to Barcelona drew a line that means a new coach in . . .

By J Hutcherson (Oct 23, 2018) US Soccer Players - Say what you want to about the MLS playoff system, it does draw a line between winners and losers in a way that people running clubs tend to agree on. In, and things are at least alright. Out, and it's a problem. Even a knockout exit provides some cover in a league where there's no such thing as mid-table obscurity. There's also no such thing as . . .

By J Hutcherson (Oct 9, 2018) US Soccer Players - Call it the panic of the super clubs, with the 2018-19 season already turning into something few expected. Check the league standings in Spain and England and that tells the story. Sevilla is top of the table in La Liga, with the usual suspects slotting in at 2nd through 4th. It's Real Madrid in 4th-place, losing for the second time over the . . .

By J Hutcherson (Oct 2, 2018) US Soccer Players - It's not much of a criticism to say that MLS got a little creative in addressing the length of its season. Trying to answer the complaint that they didn't occupy enough of the calendar compared to Europe, the league simply stretched that calendar from March through December. As solutions go, it's not the best one. That's the polite way of looking . . .

By J Hutcherson (Sep 25, 2018) US Soccer Players - The day before the US Open Cup concludes, the Dutch Cup begins. The KNVB Beker if we're being specific, it's a tournament that can only salvage a season for a club not in title contention. It's not a substitute trophy, or even much of a consideration for the teams trying to win the league title and do something in Europe. Still, at 101 years old . . .

By J Hutcherson (Sep 18, 2018) US Soccer Players - The 2018-19 Champions League group stage began on Tuesday with the competition once again trying to figure out its future. This is the first season of additional automatic group stage spots for the top domestic leagues and the introduction of two time slots for each match day. In other words, once again UEFA is changing things.
We already know . . .

By J Hutcherson (Sep 11, 2018) US Soccer Players - For anybody with an ESPN+ subscription, the wonders of the UEFA Nations League awaited during the September friendly window. The idea that hardly any soccer fans would've come up with on their own sprang to life with varying returns. Big games designed to count did what big games designed to count tend to do. Down the divisions, the enthusiasm . . .

By J Hutcherson (Aug 28, 2018) US Soccer Players - With all of the European big leagues now playing games that count and the group stage of the Champions League closing in, it's worth asking a simple question. What's worth our time this season across European soccer?
Since it's almost impossible to correctly predict a Leicester City scenario, let's set aside the shocking surprises. Instead, I'm . . .

By J Hutcherson (Aug 14, 2018) US Soccer Players - Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup doesn't officially start anything. It's not the kickoff for either of Europe's club tournaments, both well into qualifying at this point. UEFA's Champions League couldn't even get out of the way for the World Cup, playing games while that tournament was still underway in Russia. The domestic leagues in Europe stagger . . .